The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Kharkiv Human Rights Group is forced to note a significant increase in the brutality shown by the law enforcement bodies against those accused of committing crimes. Such unlawful actions are demonstrated, for example, in the ignoring of a person’s state of health during detention, investigative and court actions. We link such a tendency to an intensification of hatred as a result of the military conflict in the south-east of the country.

A flagrant example of unlawful actions by the law enforcement and criminal court bodies is seen in the case of Gennady Korban which has vividly demonstrated the level of respect for human rights and international agreements to which Ukraine is a party.

We insist that it is unacceptable to bring a suspect to court in a serious state after a heart operation. A court hearing which lasts around 30 hours and the refusal of the judge to announce a break , despite the psychological and emotional exhaustion of participants must be classified as cruel and inhuman treatment.

We consider that when the Constitution declares a human being the highest social value, it is unacceptable to justify widespread rights violations on the grounds of the interests of justice. Total disregard for the law from the state authorities which should be protecting the person from encroachments suggest political motives for the prosecution in some criminal cases.

We demand the immediate transfer of Gennady Korban to hospital to continue his rehabilitation. Depriving a person of the right to medical assistance, particularly in a post-operation state, endangers one of the most important rights, the right to life, and contravenes the principles of democratic society.

We demand that human rights standards are observed in criminal proceedings and that the state and its bodies and officials demonstrate a humane attitude to Ukrainian citizens regardless of their convictions, political, ethnic. religious or other affiliations.